Ephesians Week 11 - Relationships

Week 11

Ephesians 5:22–6:9 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Submission to One Another.

Verse 21 is transitional, connecting with the previous section and leading to what follows.

Submission is illustrated in various family relations in 5:22–33 (wives/husbands), 6:1–4 (children/parents), and 6:5–9 (servants/masters)

See also Col. 3:18–25.

Breakdown of VS. 22-6:9

VS. 22-33

Paul gives specific instructions for both husbands and wives

The two main things here is this

Women are to submit

Men are to love

Submission for a woman does not mean that they have no say, or can do nothing, but rather they are choosing to follow their husband in what he says or is calling for them to do

For a man, they are to love their wife - JUST AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH

How did Jesus love the church?

He sacrificed Himself for the church - He died

That means for a man, he should be loving his wife to the point where they are constantly dying to whatever they want, and instead seeking the best for his wife

In essence, a man should make it extremely easy and attractive for his wife to submit

VS. 1-4

Paul starts chapter 6 by talking about the relationship between parents and children

To the child

Paul tells them to obey their parents for this is right

He then quotes the fifth of the ten commandments (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16)

The promise for obeying parents is that you will live a long life on earth

Not to be thought of as 100% true, but more like something in the book of Proverbs - most likely, but not guaranteed

Obeying parents means you are learning life skills they are teaching, and self-discipline which will help in the long run of life

To the Father/parent

Paul addresses the Father because he is the head of the governmental body of the family. He is the main disciplinarian

He tells them not to provoke the kids to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord

Word bring them up is Greek word ektrephete which means “provide for physical and spiritual needs”

Notice both children and parents are told to do this in the Lord

VS. 5-9

The NT, as well as the OT, includes guidelines for slaves and slavery.

These guidelines do not condone slavery but provide ethical guidance for times and places where slavery existed.

Paul tells the slave to to obey their master

That everything they should be doing is ultimately for God and not for man

Paul tells them that whatever good they do, they will receive back from God

Paul tells masters to do the same

They should understand that whatever good they do will be repaid by the Lord

He also tells them to stop threatening them

But instead they were to treat them justly and fairly

Paul points out that they were to know that they themselves are also slaves to Christ

That he is over both master and slave

To God, one’s status on earth doesn’t matter

Questions

What questions do you have from Ephesians 5:22-6:9?

This section is all about relationships. Which relationship do you think you struggle with the most? How do you feel you can improve the relationship using the guidelines that Paul gives us?

What does it mean for a wife to submit to her husband? What does it mean for a husband to love his wife like Christ loves the church?

If you have kids, how can you as a parent discipline without provoking to anger? As an adult how can you still love and obey your parents?

How can you take Vs. 5-9 and apply it to your work life?